[Septic arthritis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae].
BACKGROUND
Streptococcus pneumoniae is an uncommon agent of infective arthritis. In this report three cases of pneumococcal arthritis are described.


METHODS
Retrospective review of synovial fluids processed in our laboratory yielding bacteria. The study period was from January 1991 to December 1995. The clinical records of patients with the clinical and microbiological diagnosis of septic arthritis were reviewed.


RESULTS
Twenty-eight out of a total of 43 clinical records had the clinical and microbiological diagnosis of septic arthritis and three (11%) were caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. The infective source in two of these three cases was probably the respiratory tract, and the most common location was the knee.


CONCLUSIONS
In our cases immunosuppression seemed to be the major risk factor involved in the development of pneumococcal arthritis.
Aguilar
J C
JC
Servicio de Microbiología, Clínica Puerta de Hierro, Madrid.
Martínez
M M
MM
Daza
R
R
Mendaza
P
P
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D002439:Cefotaxime / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006621:Hip Joint; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D007719:Knee Joint; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors
D002511:Cephalosporins; D002439:Cefotaxime
Artritis séptica por Streptococcus pneumoniae.